


Bets and Schemes

by Marvelgirl1701



Series: Zutara Week 2017 [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Betting, F/M, Fluff, Humorous, Sparring, Zutara Week 2017, schemes, trying to get them together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 23:52:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11588736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvelgirl1701/pseuds/Marvelgirl1701
Summary: The Gaang (with a few older additions) place bets on their favorite dynamic duo. Who will make the first move? Who will win? And will Toph finally loose her winning streak? Find out in this very fluffy fan fiction.





	Bets and Schemes

**Author's Note:**

> Created for the 1st day of Zutara Week: Fire Lady. Of course I wanted some Mama Ursa action haha 
> 
> Enjoy!

“I bet twenty silver pieces that she’s going to jump him by the end of this week,” the Blind Bandit remarks matter-of-factly.

She rests her mud-caked feet on the table in order to try to stop listening to the dynamic pair’s annoyingly fast heartbeats as they continue to bicker at one another. The elderly gentleman across from her chuckles, paying no mind to her lack of manners and strokes his beard thoughtfully.

He looks over, studying the young Firelord as he scowls, a few stray hairs falling from his top knot and less-formal version of his robes crinkling as he crosses his arms. Though still a new ruler, Zuko was good for his country, leading with an iron fist against the cruel and a kind hand to the weak and poor. He became a man, a leader and Iroh’s heart swells in pride.

“You underestimate my nephew, young one,” the Dragon of the West begins, taking a sip of his tea. “He is determined and often has a one-tracked mind. If he wants the affections of our waterbender friend, he will do everything in his power to get it.”

“Stop being a chicken-hog, _your highness_. Fight me!” Katara screams in the background.

“Oh, you’re on, _peasant_!” Iroh can just hear the smirk in his nephew’s voice.

“WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?”

Unfazed, the two at the tea table continue their conversation, pretending as if the screaming was as normal as the turtle-ducks quacking near their feet.

“Please, Sparky is too ‘honorable’ to do anything,” the earthbender snorts, picking at her toes. “I tried talking about it to him once and he was all like ‘I don’t like her’ and ‘I don’t want to ruin our friendship blah blah blah.’ What idiots!”

Toph, even with her feet off the ground, can feel Iroh’s smile and amusement towards her.

“I cannot disagree with you there. But, Master Katara is stubborn herself. To admit one’s feelings is to admit defeat and each is too proud to do so.”

A comfortable, contemplating silence falls over the two, their eyes shifting from the tea table to the garden where the firebender and waterbender began to settle into fighting positions, articles of clothing thrown across the grass to not impede the benders. Katara’s water pouch is uncorked, a spiral of water weaving around her wrapping-clad form while Zuko’s flames burn at the edge of his palms, his pale bare chest gleaming in the sunlight. To any other onlooker, it may seem like the beginnings of a fierce battle between enemies. Only those close to the warriors know from Katara’s pleased grin and Zuko’s lively eyes that their sparring was of fun and training rather than simply a feud of hate. That and the two were also half-naked.

With a blast of flame and water and ultimately steam, the battle had begun. Toph leisurely plants her feet back on the ground, watching the spar carefully, ready to block stray water whips and fire blasts if necessary.

“Thirty that Katara kisses Zuko first,” Toph grunts.

Iroh’s attention falls back upon his companion rather than the spectacular battle of water versus fire and meets her piercing, unseeing gaze.

“In that case, I bet fifty silver that _Zuko_ will charm Katara first,” Iroh grins.

“Who’s charming what with my sister?” Sokka inquires, pulling a stray chair over to their table, Suki not too far behind him.

Sokka’s attention immediately zones on the plate of tea cookies in the middle of the table and stuffs four in his mouth. Suki pulls over her own chair and sits, smoothing over her loose green skirt. Due to the Fire Nation’s hotter climate, the young Firelord’s new additions found themselves with new clothes, made of silk with their traditional nation’s colors, but in Fire Nation design.

“Bettin’ on who’s gonna make the first move, Zuko or Katara,” Toph answers nonchalantly.

Sokka begins to choke on the cookies, the crumbs sticking to his throat. He immediately pours himself a cup of scalding tea, draining it down without a second thought. Toph muffles Sokka’s screams with a hand-shape rock across his face. Iroh stares at him concerned, but the rest of the group, used to Sokka’s antics, continue on as nothing had happened. Suki smiles, a hand on Sokka’s back as she rubs soothingly.

“I honestly thought that they had a secret thing going on when we were at the Western Air Temple. Boy was I wrong,” Suki chuckles good naturedly. “But, I still think Katara is going to make the first move; that girl is strong and stubborn, but nearing the end of her patience.”

Suddenly, Toph slides her feet across the floor and raises her hands, creating a rock wall separating those at the table from the spar. Fire blasts at the sides and Iroh snuffs it out before it burned any of the plants. As quickly as it came, the wall fell back into the earth and Toph scowls at Zuko, who pays her no mind, unaware that he nearly burned everyone to crisp. _You’re gonna get it, Sparky…_ She lets the frown fall from her features, a smirk finding its way across her face instead.

“Told ya she’s gonna jump him soon,” Toph says, the fire incident seemingly forgotten, lightly punching Iroh’s arm from across the table affectionately.

Iroh smiles, but glances at the Water tribe boy carefully as Sokka soothes his tongue with some cool dragon fruit, unsure what his reaction may be. Toph and Iroh have had their talks and schemes about the pair, but never included the brother before. To Iroh’s surprise, however, Sokka snorts. Perhaps, Iroh thinks, he spends too much time with hot-headed firebenders to anticipate such a mild reaction.

“Oh, this again! I’ll have you know that my sister shouldn’t be something that can just be used for monetary gain,” Sokka says indignantly, face scrunched up in a humorous scowl, arms crossed around his chest.

He sits up straighter in his chair, trying to portray the part of a protective older brother. Iroh simply raises an eyebrow, contemplating Sokka’s next move, while Toph doesn’t even acknowledge him, stuffing another cookie in her mouth. Suki simply rolls her eyes. Sokka’s facade cracks.

“That being said,” he begins, the scowl melting off his features, his eyes bright. “Zuko is totally gonna make a move first! I bet sixty on that.”

Iroh gives Sokka a surprised look, expecting him to go with his sister. Sokka just rolls his eyes.

“Come on guys, just look at him.”

Everyone follows the path of Sokka’s outstretched hand, unsurprised to see Zuko tackling Katara to the ground, powerful hands clasped over her wrists and body holding hers underneath his in a very compromising position.

“Yield, waterbender,” his hiss reaching the ears of the occupants of the table.

“Never!”

In a fluid movement, Katara’s knees move between her body and Zuko’s, intending to jam him roughly in the stomach. However, with a twitch of Toph’s fingers, the ground shifts and instead Katara manages to knee with much force Zuko’s…

“ _OH AGNI!_ ” Zuko all but shrieks, the pitch of his raspy voice ten times higher.

Iroh and Sokka both wince empathetically, while Zuko abruptly rolls off Katara, face contorted in pain as he covers his crotch with both hands. Katara’s eyes widen impossibly large as a hot blush blooms on her features.

“Zuko! I’m so sorry!” Katara yells, quickly sitting up from the floor and to his side.

Zuko just groans in response, his body a shade of pink in utter embarrassment.

Toph chuckles from afar, an evil little smirk across her features.

“Sparky is too much of a dork to make any move,” she mutters to herself, then lifts her head up to address in the general direction of others. “Okay guys, final bets!”

“Hey, what are we doing?” Aang says, nearly appearing out of thin air.

He leaps over and lands softly in a gust of wind, smiling all the way. Toph groans at the interruption, ready to set the bets in stone in order to begin some of her schemes. Operation _Get Sparky Laid_ was going to be a very difficult task, but would come one step closer once she accomplishes Operation _Sugar Queen Gives Sugar_ . Toph hopes Aang won’t make anything more difficult. Toph remembers how Aang had told her that in order to achieve mastery of the Avatar State, he had to give up his love of _the idea_ of Katara, the perfect maiden he had originally viewed her as. That still didn’t stop Aang’s affections for the girl, however and that fact makes Toph scowl. Everyone blatantly ignores the repeated “ _sorry”_ s in the distance as Zuko and Katara continue to fumble over each other.

“Scheming Katara’s love life,” Sokka answers nonchalantly.

Aang instantly brightens.

“Cool! My money's still on an unknown participant who just so happens to be a powerful bender…” Aang trails off, meeting Toph’s glare and everyone else’s weary glances.

They knew if that Aang didn’t support them, they couldn’t go on with their plans. No amount of Katara and Zuko’s romantic tiptoeing around each other would make breaking Aang’s heart worth it. Thankfully, Aang just rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

“I’m kidding guys! But, seriously, why Zuko? I thought Katara would go for Haru or something.”

“Come on Aang. How can you say that isn’t true love?” Suki asks dreamily.

“ _I didn’t mean to hurt your royal jewels, okay?_ ”

_“Please don’t call it that!”_

_“Your… uh … Mighty Sword? Honorable Dagger? Little Zuko?”_

_“For the love of Tui, La and Agni, STOP!”_

Red in the face, Aang chuckles airily.

“I see your point. Well, kinda... Anyways, I bet a hundred silver that Zuko will make the first move. Katara can be very… oblivious.”

“Final bets everyone?” Suki murmurs.

“Fifty silver on Katara,” Toph grins.

Suki nods in agreement.

“Sixty for me!”

Sokka glances at the pair.

“ _I can try to heal it.”_

_“Please don’t get anywhere near my crotch Katara.”_

“I’m tempted to change my mind,” Sokka murmurs, a little pale at his little sister’s implications. “But, fifty silver on Zuko.”

“ _Agni, Katara, I said no!”_ Zuko yells, batting at Katara’s hands as she tries to gather up healing water.

“Actually, twenty on Zuko,” Sokka says quickly. “I don’t want to loose all my money!”

“I still think my nephew has a chance,” Iroh says, stroking his beard. “Fifty silver pieces.”

“A hundred for me,” Aang pipes in.

“So it’s settled then,” Toph grins. “Let the schemes begin!”

“Excuse me.”

The participants of the table all turn to the soft voice, surprised to find the Fire Lady standing before them in an elegant fashion. Her top knot crown gleams in the sunlight just as much as her golden eyes gleam in curiosity and an emotion everyone never expected to see in the gentle-hearted Firelady: mischief.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to place a bid,” Ursa says softly, an uncharacteristic grin across her soft, porcelain features. “I bet a hundred gold pieces that Ms. Katara will woo my dear son first.”

A stunned silence, well, at least a silence of the occupants at the tea table (Zuko managed to pin down Katara’s hands again, huffing that he was fine and had no need for her healing), follows, everyone’s mouth a jar in disbelief. The Firelady giggles, _giggles_ , to herself behind a jewel-adorned hand.

“My little _Zuzu_ won’t know what hit him.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. I absolutely love Avatar the Last Airbender and happy to contribute to Zutara Week! I also hope to continue this lovely fanfiction, complete with all sorts of schemes from the members of the Gaang. We'll see :)


End file.
